This section is intended to introduce the reader to various aspects of art which may be related to various embodiments of the present invention which are described and/or claimed below. This discussion is believed to be helpful in providing the reader with background information to facilitate a better understanding of various embodiments of the present invention. Accordingly, it should be understood that these statements are to be read in this light, and not as admissions of prior art.
Arc welding is a welding process in which an electric current is used to produce localized melting in a work piece. There are many different types of arc welding processes. One example of an arc welding process is TIG (Tungsten-Inert-Gas) welding (also known as gas tungsten arc welding, GTAW, or HELIARC). TIG welding is a type of arc welding process in which an electric arc is maintained between a welding implement, such as a hand-held torch, and a metal work piece. Typically, the welding implement includes a cylindrical electrode coupled to a torch head. The arc is produced by electricity flowing between the electrode and the work piece. Typically, the electrode is comprised of tungsten. The electrode is secured to a torch that is operable to couple electricity from a source of power to the electrode. Electricity is coupled to the torch by a power cable. A torch head is used to secure the electrode to the torch and to couple the electricity to the electrode.
Welding implements have been developed to enable the torch to have a degree of flexibility so that the electrode may be positioned relative to a user's hand. In a liquid-cooled torch, the flexibility is achieved by using a series of coiled tubes to secure the torch head to the torch. A shield gas is conveyed through the interior of one of the tubes. Additional tubes are used to convey cooling liquid to and from the torch head. The tubes are coiled around each other and may be flexed to reposition the torch head.
However, these welding implements may not have a high degree of flexibility. In addition, the flow of gas and/or cooling liquid through the coils may be affected by the heat loss created by the route that the gas and/or cooling liquid takes in flowing through the coils. In addition, manufacturing a welding implement with coiled tubing is time consuming and laborious.
Therefore, a desire exists for a flexible welding implement that provides improved flexibility over existing welding implements and provides better flow characteristics for fluids flowing through the flexible portions of the welding implement. In addition, a method of manufacturing a flexible welding implement that responds to these needs is desired.